Opposition coalition defiant in face of Jumhoory Party leader’s arrest

The opposition coalition asserted that leader of Jumhoory Party (JP) and lawmaker of Maamigilli Constituency Qasim Ibrahim was arrested on Thursday over false allegations and declared that they will not back down from the government.

Police arrested Qasim with a court order issued by the Criminal Court over Qasim’s alleged attempt to bribe parliamentarians in connection with the motion of no confidence that was recently taken against parliamentary speaker Abdulla Maseeh.

Speaking at a press conference held at the main activity hub of JP late Thursday, the minority leader of parliament, Hinnavaru MP Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, said that Qasim’s arrest shows that the government has run out of options and that it has already lost the motions of no confidence against the speaker and deputy speaker of the parliament.

Highlighting that Qasim’s investigation is against constitutional procedures, Deputy Leader of JP and former Police Commissioner, Kinbidhoo MP Abdulla Riyaz, added that the investigation is being carried out without any involvement of the allotted Serious and Organised Crimes investigative department.